Charges against two Surrey men accused in connection with the 2018 hit-and-run death of Cameron Kerr near Terrace have been stayed, ending plans for a trial scheduled for next month.
The BC Prosecution Service said the decision was made because of a material change in circumstances that meant the standard required to proceed with the charges was no longer met.
In a Facebook post, Kerr’s brother Garrett said the family was informed of the decision during a meeting with Crown prosecutors and the RCMP. He said prosecutors told the family that testimony from a key witness, a forensic pathologist, would no longer support a likely conviction on the charges.
“We are devastated, to say the least, that this is the outcome of eight years of pain and suffering in the struggle to get justice for Cameron,” Garrett Kerr wrote.
The charges were stayed on Wednesday, Oct. 14, more than a year after Taylor Stogryn and Conrad Wierzbicki were charged in connection with the case.
Kerr was walking home to Terrace from New Remo when he was struck by a vehicle and found on Highway 16 on November 18, 2018.
Police identified a suspect vehicle within days of the collision. The investigation continued for more than six years before charges were laid.
Further details about the decision have not been publicly outlined by the BC Prosecution Service.
